Dara Killeen, of Bawnmore Dairy Enterprise in Meelick, Eyrecourt, Co Galway, is no stranger to success. Beginning his milking journey in 2019, Dara has quickly risen through the ranks. He won the FBD Young Farmer of the Year in 2020, in his first year of dairy farming, as well as a CellCheck award and now is the Aurivo representative in the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

A fourth-generation farmer on the Bawnmore land, Dara is the youngest of seven children. He is supported in his efforts by his father Charlie, who handles tractor work and herding, and his mother Mary, who assists with calf rearing.

His wife, Beatrix, contributes to the business planning, while his daughter Isabella helps manage calves and grass measurement, making this very much a family-run enterprise. Even young Oliver, their baby, plays his part by keeping Dara company on the farm.

The Bawnmore herd consists of 152 cows, which are milked in a 20-unit parlour. The cows deliver 465kg of milk solids per year, with milk recording taking place four times annually to monitor performance and milk quality.

During the hectic calving season, Dara shares a night worker with a neighbouring farmer, allowing him to focus on the cows during the day without becoming exhausted. Relief milkers Emily and Colin, both college students, help maintain smooth operations.

Environmental sustainability is at the core of Dara’s farming philosophy. The farm’s carbon footprint stands at 0.77 kg, and the grazing platform is stitched with white clover. Dara has also dedicated 30 acres to red clover silage and has planted five acres of multispecies swards.

His commitment to enhancing the local landscape is evident in the six-foot trees—mountain ash, maple, silver birch, and alder—that he has planted along the farm roadway. A significant portion of the farm, 100 acres along the Shannon Callows, is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC), an important habitat for breeding bird species. Cattle are strictly removed during key months to protect these fragile ecosystems.

Although Beatrix comes from a non-farming background, she has undertaken the Green Cert at Salesian Agricultural College and now serves on the board of Dairy Women Ireland.

Her professional background as a solicitor for Ernst & Young complements her role in business planning on the farm, ensuring that Dara stays focused on his key performance indicators.

Interestingly, Dara’s connection to the awards extends beyond his own farm. He played hurling for Meelick-Eyrecourt alongside his neighbour and fellow finalist Michael Scott-Larkin, who is representing Arrabawn in this year’s NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards. Their long-standing friendship—each was a groomsman at the other’s wedding—underscores the close-knit nature of this farming community.